Barbi Club Manager Shaul Mizrahi Criticizes Musician Asaf Avidan as Arrogant and Out of Touch

Shaul Mizrahi, manager of the Barbi Club in Tel Aviv, sharply criticized Israeli musician Asaf Avidan following an interview in which Avidan claimed he is not boycotted internationally despite his Israeli identity. In the interview with Guri Alfi on Galgalatz radio, Avidan, who lives in France, said he continues to perform before large audiences worldwide and downplayed the extent of anti-Israel sentiment affecting his career. He emphasized his desire to move beyond superficial identities and focus on shared human connections.

Mizrahi responded on the Barbi Club's Facebook page, calling Avidan "arrogant, disconnected, cowardly, and a babbler." He accused Avidan of omitting the fact that Israel is not included in his international tour and claimed that Israeli artists rarely receive international bookings under their own names. Mizrahi also suggested that Avidan is out of touch with the reality of the Israeli music scene and lives in exile, detached from the local context.

Mizrahi's post highlighted that only a few Israeli acts have gained international recognition recently, and he dismissed Avidan's statements as self-deceptive. The exchange reflects ongoing tensions within the Israeli music community regarding the impact of political issues on artists' international careers. Mizrahi concluded his post by wishing Avidan good luck selling tickets for his upcoming show at the Barbi Club.